Defence Chiefs of Staff Committee: Memoranda

This file contains the Defence Chiefs of Staff Committee memoranda from 2 August 1948 to 11 October 1948, concerning global strategy and potential war with the Soviet Union. Those relevant to the Gulf and the Middle East are memoranda relating to:

• The role of the Army at the outbreak of war, including the troop requirements for securing Britain’s position in the Middle East in the event of war (172)
• The problem of protecting of the oil fields in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the Trucial States now that reinforcements are no longer available from Iraq and India; the risk of internal disturbances or tribal raids from Saudi Arabia; and proposals to develop a scheme to fly troops to the Gulf in time of need and to establish a local levy (185)
• Plans for the neutralisation of oil fields in Persia and Iraq and the destruction of the Trans-Persian Railway in the event of war, to deny their use to the Soviets (189)
• A proposal to maintain facilities in Egypt to serve as a base in the event of war in the Middle East; with a map displaying the Suez Canal Zone, Treaty Areas, and British military installations (191)
• Evacuation plans for British nationals in Iraq (197)
• The prevention of men of military age from entering Palestine or the Arab States (207)
• Plans for the defence of Transjordan and the development of communications and military installations (205, 220, 221)
• The future of former Italian colonies ; including the anticipated return of Italian Somaliland to Italian trusteeship, and the expected disturbances in the region (179, 202); plans for obtaining a British trusteeship over Cyrenaica, whose foreign relations will be guided by a British Resident, with a draft constitution for the territory (202, 232); and strategic naval requirements at Tripoli (222)
• Anglo-Egyptian relations and the defence of Egypt, including the need for British bases in the country (224)
• US and British strategic interests and requirements in Saudi Arabia (234)